Health board"s tactics

0 - 0 • Published 4 Jun 2008 09:50

With regards to "Accept hospice decision" I agree with the scare tactics and thank the writer for identifying the behavioural tactics of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The review in 2004 which was quoted is misguided, flawed and without robust evidence - this has been proven.

It is important to explain the financial structure of St Margaret of Scotland Hospice. The hospice is one house, each unit forms a partnership.

If the funding structure of one part alters in any way it has a similar consequence as that of a married couple in full time employment reducing their income - their cloth would have to be cut accordingly.

It is unfortunate the cloth provided to the hospice over a number of years has been so threadbare and mean.

Therefore, the current situation of a proposed funding restructure leaves both elements of this partnership vulnerable and fragile.

The proposed plan over the next five years is not to sustain funding when patients move to Blawarthill Hospital, it is in fact to reduce funding by up to £500,000.

This is both shocking and unsustainable within an already underprovided financial structure.

The plans to transfer elderly services to Blawarthill Hospital have been poorly thought out and planned.

Imagine this - a hospice already providing quality end of life care regulated and approved by the Care Commission, will no longer have the opportunity to deliver such care. Instead, the proposed patient group "living" at the hospice will be cared for by a team whose expertise will not be in the domain of end of life care.

Therefore patients who are dying will require transfer to another setting when end of life approaches.

The gifts, skills and attributes of the already existing team will be rendered redundant.

The proposed plan neither makes good common sense nor business sense. There is a note of ignorance and arrogance attached to the circumstance in which the letter writer describes 'at least they would guarantee it would stay open ad infinitum'.

To provide such a personal argument towards Sister Rita and the quotation of Christ has indeed resembled the argument presented in the opening remarks. The writer has failed to provide a "reasoned" argument.

Sister Rita"s desire is not one of selfish ambition or boastful conceit, but the voice of silent whispers, speaking for those who have no voice or who, in their time of fragility, cannot speak.

The public, which has supported the hospice by signing the petition and writing letters, should never accept that which would compromise the care and choice of the ordinary person.

They should continue to fight for that which is just and fair in order to sustain that which is required.

Despite your rantings the hospice will continue to provide care in accordance with the core values of the Sisters of Charity which are: human dignity, compassion, justice, quality of service and advocacy.

Maria Fionda, relative of a hospice patient, Glasgow

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This letter appeared in Clydebank Post 04 Jun 08

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